Cruz, Abbott: Obama To Blame For Flood Of Minors

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz speaks during the final day of the 2014 Republican Leadership Conference on May 31, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW.COM/AP) – Texas Republican leaders Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott are ramping up criticism of President Barack Obama for more than 52,000 unaccompanied minors who have poured across the southwestern border of the U.S. in recent months.

The U.S. senator and Texas attorney general on Monday toured a temporary shelter for some of the children at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio where some 1,200 children are being cared for.

Gov. Rick Perry was scheduled later in the day to visit a similar federal holding facility in the Rio Grande Valley.

Senator Ted Cruz on Texas Border Crisis

“It’s gone from 6,000 in 2011 to this year, it is estimated, to be 90,000 unaccompanied children will be apprehended trying to cross the border,” said Cruz. “Next year the estimates are 145,000 unaccompanied children.”

Cruz and Abbott say they were told stories of children being ordered by human traffickers to cut off fingers and ears of other kids as a way of extorting money.

Cruz blamed the surge in minors on the Obama administration and a belief they’ll be granted amnesty.